Offset wrench handle with tri-point box end and detachable socket



July 21, 1959 H. H. HEINZ OFFSET WRENCH HANDLE WITH TRI-POINT BOX END AND DETACHABLE SOCKET Filed ril 9, 1957 Howard H. Hem: INVENTOR.

2,895,364 OFFSET WRENDLE'WITH TRI-POINTBOX END "AND DETACHABIJE' SOCKET Howard Heinz, Casper, Wyo.

Application April-9; 1957, Serial'No. 651*,788

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-177 The present invention generally relates to a wrench construction and more particularly incorporates a novel connection between a socket and a handle for turning the socket together with a novel offset handle for permitting the socket to engage inaccessible bolt fastener elements which could not be reached by employing a handle arranged perpendicular with and generally coplanar with the rear face or edge of the socket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection between a socket and a wrench handle for the socket incorporating three equally spaced semicylindrical projections and recesses in the socket and handle respectively for providing adequate bearing area for transmitting torque from the handle to the socket.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a socket and wrench handle assembly as set forth in the preceding objects in which the socket is held in the handle by a spring-ring construction.

A still further important feature of the present invention is to provide a socket and handle therefor in accordance with the preceding objects in which the socket is held onto the handle by setscrew members partially threaded into the handle and partially into the socket.

Other objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of assembly, efficiency of use, adaptation for use in normally in accessible positions and its adaptation for its particular purposes.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the wrench of the present invention showing the snap ring and its relationship to the projection on the socket and the box end on the handle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 with portions of the box end of the 'wrench handle broken away showing the relationship of the snap ring and the projection on the socket telescopically inserted into the box end;

Figure 3 is an exploded group perspective view of the socket and box end wrench handle; and

Figure 4 is a partial bottom plan view showing threaded setscrews holding the socket to the offset handle.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the socket and the numeral 12 generally designates the handle therefor. The handle 12 includes an elongated portion 14 having at one end thereof a downwardly inclined offset portion 16 terminating in a box end 18 having an interior surface 20 generally defining a through, socket-receiving cylindrical opening that is provided with three semicylindrical recesses 22 which are spaced equidistantly about the circumference of the interior surface 20 with the longitudinal axes thereofbcing parallel to each other" and to the longitudinal axis ofthe interior surface. The socket 10 includes the usual nutorbolt head receiving portion 24"having .a shoulder 26 at the b'otto'm' thereof with a generally cylindrical projection 28 ex? tendingdownwardly therefrom with the diameter of the cylindrical projection'28 being less than the shoulder '28 on "the cylindrical projection 28' for'rec'eption in the s'einicylindrical recesses 22"thus interlocking the socket llrandthehandle 12"fo'r rotation" of the socket" when the handle is rotated.

Each of the semicylindrical projections 30 is provided with a groove 32 for receiving a split spring ring 34 which is disposed in the grooves 32 immediately below the box end 18 thus releasably retaining the socket 10 attached to the box end 18 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As an alternative construction, as shown in Figure 4, the interior surface 20' and the cylindrical projection 28' are provided with aligned semicylindrical threaded recesses for receiving threaded setscrews 36 whereby the threaded setscrews 36 being partially in threaded engagement with the projection 28 and partially in threaded engagement with the box end 18', will effectively lock the socket 10 to the handle 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A wrench comprising an elongated handle, a closed box end on said handle defining a through socket-receiving opening, a socket, means on said handle and said socket for locking them together and preventing rotation therebetween, said handle being downwardly offset adjacent the box end with the plane of the box end and the elongated handle diverging away from the box end, said socket including a body, a polygonal opening in one end thereof for accommodating nuts, a peripheral flange extending from a medial portion of said body, a base on said body being generally cylindrical in shape and having a plurality of semicylindrical projections on the outer surface thereof, the interior surface of the socket-receiving opening of said box end generally defining a cylinder having a plurality of semicylindrical recesses in the wall thereof, said locking and rotationpreventing means being defined by the semicylindrical projections which are telescopically engaged with said semicylindrical recesses, said flange being seated on the upper surface of said box end so that movement of the socket through the socket-receiving opening in one direction is prevented, a split spring ring, each of said semicylindrical projections having a groove receiving said spring ring, said gooves and said spring ring being disposed immediately below the lower surface of the box end so that the spring ring is engaged therewith, thus preventing movement through the opening therein in the other direction.

2. A wrench comprising an elongated handle, a closed box end on said handle defining a through socket-receiving opening, a socket, means on said handle and said socket for locking them together and preventing rotation therebetween, said handle being downwardly offset adjacent the box end with the plane of the box end and the elongated handle diverging away from the box end, said socket including a body, a polygonal opening in one end thereof for accommodating nuts, a peripheral flange extending from a medial portion of said body, a base on said body being generally cylindrical in shape and having a plurality of semicylindrical projections on the outer surface thereof, the interior surface of the socketreceiving opening of said box end generally defining a cylinder having a plurality of semicylindrical recesses in the wall thereof, said locking and rotation preventing means being defined by the sernicylindrical projections which are telescopically engaged with said semicylindrical recesses, said flange being seated on the upper surface of saidbox end so that movement of the socket through .the socketvreceiving opening in one direction is prevented, a pair of coacting semicylindrical recesses in the ,box end and projection, said recesses being threaded and i '4 aligned for receiving a setscrevv for preventing movement of the socket through the socket-receiving opening in the other direction and thus retaining the socket on the box end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 34,213 Baxter Mar. 12, 1901 183,235 Vassar Oct. 10, 1876 420,010 Hain Ian. 21, 1890 1,469,589 Palmer Oct. 2, 1923 2,634,991 Stevens Apr. 14, 1953 2,686,447 Vock et a1 Aug. 17, 1954 2,754,920 Derry July 17, 1956 

